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Is Topps Lying About Print Runs For Topps Now?

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Therion

Well-known member
Nov 19, 2008
5,779
387
Looooooosiana!
This popped up on SCN, and since you have to be subscribed to read it, I wanted FCB's thoughts on this. I sent Topps a message about it, but doubt I'll get a response. Anyone with better connections there want to give it a shot?

For baseball cards, it would be very difficult to find out if the print runs are inaccurate but the soccer cards have very low print runs. SCN member dewey29 posted this on November 20, 2017.

"For those that collect Topps Now cards I wanted to make you all aware of an issue that arose this week. The MLS cards have very short print runs compared to MLB. What that helps with is the ability to address issues like the one I have this week. As you can see from the Topps Now site, they are claiming a print run of 40 card for Mauro Manotas. The problem is I have 40 in my possession and I'm aware of 2 other people that purchased the card. Not sure what happened, but just wanted to make folks aware."

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b.jpg"
 

AnthonyCorona

Well-known member
Oct 6, 2014
9,600
68
Modesto, CA
f5b1d7849fd027061ddd4b0760557ccb.jpg


Bring me your Bickford, Ryan McMahon, Senzatela and Peter Lambert cards
 

Brewer Andy

Active member
Aug 10, 2008
9,634
21
Over the years I’ve come to believe that Topps is not run by individuals that are organized enough to intentionally try to deceive. I believe they’re just completely and totally inept


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rsmath

Active member
Nov 8, 2008
6,086
1
Could the qty be a typo? Or do they make proofs or extras for lost mail / damaged cards?

I wonder if Topps doesn't include or forgets to include in the totals the "first dibs" cards sold to the Topps Now addicts. It'd be hard to think you could blow things badly if a topps employee can't input a quantity sold correctly based off of a daily sales printout if their website doesn't automatically pull that info from a database to create the page.

As for extras, I hope they dont do it. Just opens up the opportunity to backdoor or otherwise leak additional cards. If cards are damaged or lost in the mail, you'd think it's just print replacements with the next batch of Topps Now sales since it's on-demand printing after all.
 

Mighty Bombjack

Active member
Aug 7, 2008
6,115
12
Over the years I’ve come to believe that Topps is not run by individuals that are organized enough to intentionally try to deceive. I believe they’re just completely and totally inept .

I worked there for two years and want to back this up. Whenever I see someone say "The people at Topps are doing ______" I always want to answer "No, they don't have that much of a plan. The issue is that a bunch of underpaid, hungover jabronis are making these cards." I used to be one of those underpaid, hungover jabronis.
 
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AnthonyCorona

Well-known member
Oct 6, 2014
9,600
68
Modesto, CA
I worked there for two years and want to back this up. Whenever I see someone say "The people at Topps are doing ______" I always want to answer "No, they don't have that much of a plan. The issue is that a bunch of underpaid, hungover jabronis are making these cards." I used to be one of those underpaid, hungover jabronis.
They should hire stoners over drinkers. Should see a big jump in quality even if it's a drop in quantity

Bring me your Bickford, Ryan McMahon, Senzatela and Peter Lambert cards
 

gt2590

Super Moderator
Aug 17, 2008
38,617
3,198
Near Philly
Wouldn't the actual printers know exactly how many were made?

They might not be able to say it, but I would think they should know it, if there is any need for Topps to clarify it...
 

rsmath

Active member
Nov 8, 2008
6,086
1
Wouldn't the actual printers know exactly how many were made?

I don't think we're going to find a Deepthroat at the printers. ;)

since the printer prints the cards, they would know but I'm sure contractual confidentiality clauses would prevent them from saying how many were printed.
 

BBCgalaxee

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2011
6,475
59
When 1996 Finest Baseball was advertised by Topps in their sell sheet sent to distributors, it promised collectors and investors alike that there would only be 150 Gold Refractors of each player produced.

While there*was*serial numbering in ’96, it still was not a common practice and was kind of a hobby rarity or at least it would be for another year before numbering became a normal sight*in high-end products and is now*everywhere.

This story may be the reason for it.

Unfortunately for Topps, as it relates to ’96 Finest, they didn’t count on Dr.Joseph Sentef’s deep pockets to expose something that seems to have been a common practice.

By the time the Dr’s Finest shopping spree was over, he had somehow amassed 220, Finest Gold Refractors of Greg Maddux, a figure almost 50% more than what was advertised in the sell sheet.

When confronted, a spokesman for Topps blamed a theft at their warehouse. Later, the story changed to missing cards from*their vault. It wasn’t long after that exchange*that a lawsuit was filed,*which*Topps ultimately ended up settling for an undisclosed amount.

In case you’re wondering, the card that started this PR nightmare almost two decades ago recently sold on eBay for a whopping $4.50.

The real question is just how many more Greg Maddux ’96 Finest Gold Refractors are out there. If one collector alone has/had 220, just how many more are in other collections or in boxes of unopened product, which is still out there to be found.

This incident for me really makes me question just how rare and valuable some of these 90s inserts really are.



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gt2590

Super Moderator
Aug 17, 2008
38,617
3,198
Near Philly
I don't think we're going to find a Deepthroat at the printers. ;)

since the printer prints the cards, they would know but I'm sure contractual confidentiality clauses would prevent them from saying how many were printed.

Yes, I understand that I'm just pointing out that if Topps wanted to clarify this, which I doubt they would, they easily could clear it right with a call to said printers...
 

cgilmo

Well-known member
Administrator
Aug 6, 2008
37,213
35
Alpharetta, Georgia, United States
I worked there for two years and want to back this up. Whenever I see someone say "The people at Topps are doing ______" I always want to answer "No, they don't have that much of a plan. The issue is that a bunch of underpaid, hungover jabronis are making these cards." I used to be one of those underpaid, hungover jabronis.

Yeah but there are actual shady practices here. Have you seen these tops now whole sellers? I wonder if their totals are in the print run?


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